KMOX – Outdoor Kitchens
June 22nd, 2007
“The Home Improvement Show with Scott Mosby”
Saturday, June 23, 2007, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Topic: Beyond the BBQ PitScott will take your calls at 314.436.7900 or toll-free at 1.800.925.1120.
When you want to expand your outdoor cooking beyond wheeling out the Weber, an outdoor kitchen awaits you. An outdoor kitchen is more than a grill; it includes various cooking appliances, counter space, storage and entertainment areas. It is a complete extension of your indoor kitchen to the great outdoors.
CREATING AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN
You have to decide how simple or elaborate you want it to be. A grill and counter space are essential, but a refrigerator and sink aren’t. Including them can boost your home’s value because you’ve created a second kitchen. So, consider how long you will be in your home, and let then let your cooking and entertaining desires inform the content of your outdoor kitchen.
Items to fill your outdoor space include: gas grill, wood stove, charcoal grill, stove top, counter space, sink, refrigerator and cabinetry for storage. An important consideration: portable or permanent? If you want an outdoor kitchen that can be re-arranged or taken with you to a new home, choose a grill on wheels. Otherwise, do built-in appliances just as you would your indoor kitchen.
WEATHER FRIENDLY MATERIALS
Everything has to be waterproof and low maintenance, which means: stainless steel, enamel, red woods and teak, stone veneers and pavers and brick. For your flooring, avoid slick materials like glazed ceramic tile and marbles, and make sure your countertop materials are easy to clean.
CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS
Since this is an outdoor room, it won’t disrupt household routines while being built, which can make it a pleasurable project to undertake. This can become a significant home-improvement project, so build according to code, follow proper building methods and obtain the proper building permits. Use licensed plumbers and electricians so the space is built to code.
Your outdoor kitchen can be built on an existing patio as long as it’s in good condition and can take the extra weight and use. You can also use an existing deck, but that may require additional support because of the extra weight. Whether expanding what you have or starting from scratch, make sure areas directly underneath grills and stoves can withstand high heat and sparks or embers that fall.
Another consideration is how many months out of the year you want to use the space. You can extend the outdoor cooking season into fall with a gas patio heater or fireplace.
WHERE TO PLACE YOUR OUTDOOR KITCHEN
Placing it on level ground not too far from your existing utilities is ideal. Placing the kitchen off to the side of your yard is better than smack dab in the center of the yard, as it provides more privacy and can improve a spot that needed attention, anyway. What views you want to capture is an aesthetic consideration, as well.
Your kitchen can be a literal extension of your home or a free-standing structure. An attached kitchen let’s your home’s exterior wall act as a weather buffer, and makes it easy to tap into your kitchen’s existing utilities. If you choose an attached kitchen, ventilation issues become paramount. Smoke-producing appliances must either be out from under the roof eaves or have an exhaust system to avoid trapped smoke.
Freestanding kitchens give you more leeway with layout, space and the overall look. For instance, most outdoor entertaining takes place in the late afternoon and early evening, so locating along a north-facing wall keeps everyone cooler and keeps the setting sun out of everyone’s eyes. A stand-alone kitchen allows you to explore these layout considerations.
Wind and the elements are another consideration. Landscaping can work as a windbreak, or the structure covering your kitchen can provide shade and protection as needed. Structure options for free-standing outdoor kitchens include pergolas, arbors, gazebos or pavilions.
Layout your outdoor kitchen according to the same principals used for the indoor versions. Configuration and spacing of work zones remains important for efficient use, as does accommodations for your family and guests. Provide plenty of space for people to hang out as you cook, including enough space for foot traffic around the cooking areas to avoid accidents.
People can gather around to watch you cook and keep you a part of the party, or you can create separate entertainment areas. Remember to place seating so that smoke blows away from them, and that everyone can comfortably eat the meals you have prepared in your outdoor culinary center.
Mosby Building Arts is here to take you through every phase of creating and building your own outdoor kitchen. We will help you determine the scope of your needs and desires and deliver to you a high quality outdoor kitchen of lasting value. The possibilities are endless.
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